The Mercenary's Bounty

by Kristen Banet

  The entire while, the sorcerer tried to fend her off, not realizing that at any moment, Luykas was going to turn on the man as well.

  Now.

  She launched into an attack, as Luykas turned. They stayed close together thanks to their tails, moving as a unit. She knew what he was going to do just as he did it and he knew the same from her. They knew how to position their wings, how to step.

  She had never in her life been more at one with someone as they fought together. First, she had rarely ever fought with someone. Second, she had never imagined it would be so fluid. This was like being invincible.

  When she was blocked again by that blasted invisible shield, Luykas whispered a fast sequence of words. The next swing she took, power blasted out from the strike, but her sword continued, narrowly missing the sorcerer as he jumped back, creating distance between them with a wall of fire they couldn’t cross. A fireball came their way through the flames and Luykas stopped it again with their own wall. She wished she could see the weird invisible things they were throwing up. She didn’t know where the line of safety was and that information would have been helpful.

  Luykas pointed it out, obviously feeling her frustration. He blew up some dirt with a single word, showing her the wall he’d made this time. Sorcery was beginning to look like a handy skill, in her mind. If she wasn’t already being held back by needing to train in her blood magic, she would look at learning it as well.

  They advanced again, still silent. Mat kicked down and killed the guard he was fighting. He didn’t get into their fight against the sorcerer, though. He helped Bryn with the final guard.

  Then they both watched for a moment.

  “Go back and help the rest of the Company,” Luykas ordered, not bothering to even look at them.

  She glanced at them again, seeing the hesitation on their faces. Nodding, she encouraged them to go. She and their leader could manage against this problem. Then it would be over.

  Without missing another beat, both of the males ran out, leaving them to the sorcerer and the flames still slowly consuming the barn. Luykas had done what he could to try and save the structure, but in the end, killing the sorcerer was more important than saving a barn they would never use.

  The moment they were gone, she and Luykas ran forward.

  “We need to get on top of him. Don’t stop.”

  She just listened to the orders, acknowledging with only a nod. The sorcerer was trapped on the other side of the burning barn. They were all becoming trapped in the thick smoke and she coughed, becoming distracted for just a second.

  The sorcerer wasn’t stupid, throwing a fireball down at her feet through that wall of flame again to stop her advance while Luykas continued to run, nearly breaking the bond. He looked back at her, frowning for a moment, then threw his own fireball at the sorcerer, distracting him just enough that she could jump over the new flame growing on the floor to join the rest of the fire.

  “Stay close to me. I won’t lead you wrong,” Luykas passionately said to her.

  She could only nod again. There was a conviction in the words and in his emotions she couldn’t deny. He had magic and experience. She was the only one in the barn who didn’t.

  Looking back at the sorcerer in between licks of red fire, she knew this was going to be one of the toughest fights of her life. She had to completely trust Luykas, or they were probably both going to die.

  41

  Matesh

  Matesh and Brynec ran from the barn. It was falling apart around them. He hated it. He hated how she nodded and agreed with Luykas that they should leave.

  She’ll be fine.

  The hit she took with that post had been bad, very bad. How she was on her feet, he didn’t know. It would have put him or Bryn down for the rest of the fight. He was astounded it hadn’t broken her back.

  Then she told him to go. He turned at the last minute he was out of the barn, looking back to see her and Luykas moving in tandem, like they had been doing it for centuries. A pang of jealousy was there - he wanted that.

  Bryn grabbed him. “Don’t stop. They need us in the warehouse.”

  Mat sighed, nodding. With that, he began to haul ass again, running across the property to the warehouse. Varon was standing on a cart, Kian and Zayden defending around him. There were still a dozen Elvasi on their side. He had no idea where Nevyn and Alchan were.

  “Shit. Cover with Varon. I’m going to find the others.”

  “Aye.”

  They got closer and Bryn didn’t pause as he jumped up next to Varon. Mat continued, looking across the warehouse to see Nevyn and Alchan back to back, fighting against even more Elvasi.

  He didn’t stop running, barreling into two Elvasi at once. He was probably double the weight of one, and the second wasn’t very bulky either. They both staggered back, the smaller one unable to stay on his feet. He killed the one who went down first then engaged the second, snarling.

  “Well, you’re here. I hope that means my brother and Mave are alive,” Alchan said calmly, grunting as he took a swing to kill another of the Elvasi.

  “They were when I saw them,” he answered. “Sorcerer. There’s a sorcerer.”

  “Well, damn. He’s going to have fun with that.” Alchan snorted. “Idiot brother always has to prove he’s better with magic than anyone else.”

  “Well, Mave’s life is in his hands, so he better fucking be.” Mat growled in frustration, still upset he’d been sent away.

  She’ll be fine.

  He could only hope Luykas knew what he was doing. He had to trust his commander and his ilanra. He never thought to see a day when those two fought together, but he knew they would make it work if they had to. Tonight, they had to.

  He kept fighting with his leader at his side. It was something to fight beside the King like this. He’d long gotten over the awe of it and focused on the battle. Tonight, the feeling returned. Something about Alchan was more focused than normal, more regal, more imposing. Which said something, since Matesh was taller, broader, and stronger than him.

  Fighting beside him tonight, after his female sent him away, it felt good. Alchan was a silent source of strength for the Company. He was their real leader, with Luykas playing the co-leader and second, depending on the situation. To be in the Ivory Shadows was also to be his.

  If I can’t fight beside her, my King will have to do.

  They continued to push back the Elvasi, and suddenly, the numbers were nearly even.

  “We’ve got runners!” Zayden roared out. “Varon and Bryn are trying to take them out!”

  Mat grinned at the Elvasi in front of him, who dropped his sword and turned as well, scrambling off. Mat wasn’t having any of that. He delivered a final blow swiftly. He chased after another.

  “No survivors!” Alchan called the order.

  Mat continued after the Elvasi into the fields, chasing him through rows of spice plants. No survivors. Finally, he jumped and let the wind catch his wings, taking him up with only a few easy powerful strokes. He looked down to see his quarry, who happened to be looking up and over his shoulder in fear as Mat caught up with him.

  Mat brought his sword down as he descended, putting the Elvasi down into the dirt, his skull split into two.

  With that, he jumped back up and kept an eye out for any more runners, seeing some still trying to break away from Nevyn and Alchan. He dove down swiftly, landing on the back sides of the Elvasi. One turned to defend, blocking him. Mat overpowered him, kicking him onto Nevyn’s blade.

  It was a slaughter now, as the Elvasi tried to run, dying in the process. He felt good. He felt very good.

  This is what they deserve. This is what they needed, after trying to take Mave from him and the Company. If every Elvasi in Olost was dead, the country of city-states would be safe for his female to finally enjoy her freedom without the blood and death.

  It was dying down when he walked back into the warehouse. Nevyn was handling the last on their side, while Kian an
d Zayden had a small group, all trying to leave. He would let them finish it. He looked up to Bryn when he got next to the cart.

  “How are you?” he asked, feeling brotherly now with the rogue for some reason. Maybe it was how they spent the night fighting together. He figured it was something more, though.

  “Uninjured, for the most part,” the rogue answered, looking down for a moment. “You need anything?”

  He didn’t, not really, but he wanted to say one thing. He’d watched Bryn and Mave dance around each other for too long, and tonight had given him a good insight into how his female felt about the lean male.

  “She doesn’t save people for just being her friends,” he said, reaching up to smack the male’s calf. “Just thought you should know that.”

  He knew from experience. She’d come for him because they had something simmering, because he and Rain were all she had. Desperation, loneliness. She had come. She had saved Rain purely because she loved the young male like family.

  Mat, almost a little sadly, knew she cared for the rogue. Knew that he would be mayara if they both pulled their heads out of their asses. He was beginning to get annoyed that she hadn’t come to him for advice. He would give it. He would give her the world if she asked him for it. If she wanted Bryn, he would grab the rogue and put him on his knees before her.

  Maybe his not very subtle hint would give the male the push he needed to act on whatever was going on between them. He had been in the pits, but he also heard their late night whispers, about being survivors. He heard them when they worked on her wings. Bryn gave her something, a companion who understood far beyond what he could. He was a little jealous, and he wouldn’t lie about it, but he wanted her to have everything.

  Bryn was part of everything in his mind already.

  The rogue just watched him in shock before nodding slowly. “Thank ya.”

  “No problem.”

  “So if I…”

  “You know the answer to that question,” Mat said, looking out over the property through the large doors. He watched the burning barn and stables, wondering where his female was. He wanted her back now. Varon lazily shot another arrow, purposefully missing. Now, the members still fighting were just playing with the Elvasi, tormenting them. Was it a touch cruel? Absolutely. Did Mat care? Not at all.

  We’re not heroes, that’s for sure.

  Mat smirked as one jumped back as another arrow hit the ground at his feet. He turned to run, only to get shoved back by Kian, who was having a great time. “Where you going? We have questions.”

  Mat knew they didn’t, but any information was good recon for later. Maybe a little tormenting would get them something they didn’t expect.

  His chuckles died when the barn collapsed.

  “Oh fuck,” Bryn mumbled.

  Mat didn’t realize he was moving towards it until Kian stopped him and shoved, sending him back again. The only male who had more pure brute strength than him stood in his way.

  “You run into it now, and you’ll be a dead man,” Kian said sternly, eyeing him. “If they’re dead in there, we’re not going to let anyone else commit suicide.”

  “She’s my fucking female,” he snarled back, trying again, only to meet strong arms. Another set pulled him behind, then a third pair of hands grabbed his armor.

  He was dragged and tossed to the ground several feet from the carts in the middle of the warehouse.

  “My brother is in there, but I’m not stupid,” Alchan said, growling down in his face. “You’ll fucking listen to me, Matesh. You’ll wait here. If she’s alive, you’ll stay here until she’s in the damned warehouse. If there’s anyone who can deal with the barn, it’s my brother, and he’s already in there.”

  Matesh snarled back, but he looked beyond his king to see Nevyn waiting patiently for him to disobey the order. Nevyn, who would have no worries gutting someone for disregarding Alchan’s orders in a moment of life and death.

  Mat knew he would die if he fought Alchan and tried to go in that fucking barn. He could only wait.

  42

  Mave

  They ran for the sorcerer again, and this time, when Luykas jumped through the wall of flame, so did she. The sorcerer scrambled back, lobbing another fireball. Instinctively, she ducked but kept running, keeping pace with the mutt beside her.

  He blasted the Elvasi with wind, hitting the shield, but distracting the sorcerer for just a moment. She brought her sword down on the shield, roaring as it broke and her swing continued again, feeling power beyond that of her actual arms. It was an unearthly power, one from a deep well inside her and fueled by Luykas. She had no idea where it was coming from, but it was there.

  She met another of the walls, bouncing back this time. She hit it again as Luykas pushed the flames away from behind them. The flames that were growing too fast, too wild.

  “If I’m going to die, we all are!” the sorcerer screamed. He was fueling the flames now. There was something crazed in his eyes, desperation and power taking control. She had met males like him before. They would go down, but they would try to leave behind as much destruction as possible.

  She was one of those types. If she was ever going to die, she was going to take out everyone she could in the process. She wouldn’t win, but neither would her enemies.

  She continued to bash through the invisible shields, trying to force her way to him. He kept backing away, even though there was no way out. All the while, they could hear the cracking of burning wood. The smoke was beginning to make her lungs burn again, and her eyes watered. Luykas was panting and finally turned away from the flames to help her with the sorcerer again.

  “We need to end this before he buries all of us and we burn alive.” He was calm, staring her right in the eye. He pushed her back without any sign he was intending to, and a fireball went between their heads.

  In unison, they turned on the sorcerer. Luykas snarled. “I hate Elvasi magic users.”

  “Good to know,” she replied, not sure where to go from there. Strength flooded her system again and propelled her with renewed vigor to attack. The sorcerer, his back now to the flames, had nowhere to run.

  The sorcerer screamed, jumping back just in time for her to miss the swing, but also into the flames. She didn’t let up, following him and slicing across his abdomen as he burned.

  With one more overpowered swing, she beheaded him.

  It rolled across the barn. The barn, which was cracking and coming down now.

  “We need to move!” Luykas yelled, grabbing her arm now. They started running as beams came down around them, slamming into the earth near them on all sides. Luykas pulled her in front of him, shoving as another beam went down, their bonded experience now broken. She then felt the pain, but it wasn’t hers. The beam must have landed on Luykas’ tail.

  “Fuck. Go, Mave!” he roared.

  She didn’t. She ran back around him and looked at the flaming beam. With a deep breath, she bent down. A hand grabbed her shoulder tightly, bringing the bond back. The strength came back.

  She didn’t care about the flames. Burns would heal. They would scar, but they would heal.

  Yet, when she put her arms under the beam, the flames didn’t touch her. She lifted the beam slowly, her muscles and back screaming in pain. She wanted to drop it. When Luykas’ white tail was out of the way, she gave up and dropped it, groaning. He grabbed her and yanked, making sure the next beam didn’t come down on her head.

  They made it out, coughing, the smoke too thick to see anything for a moment. They kept moving and collapsed on the grass. She landed on her knees and rolled onto her back, not worried about anyone coming for her.

  “Fuck.”

  Somehow, their tails were together again, and she could feel his agreement in the bond. Luykas began to chuckle, but she was exhausted and already annoyed with him. What could he have possibly been laughing about?

  The power left her, leaving her more confused. What had that been? When her commander looked at h
er, she saw his eyes were all black, not a drop of gold in them.

  “We made it out,” he said softly. “Shit. Wasn’t expecting that to happen tonight.” He rolled his head to the side and looked at her with that annoying Luykas smile. The one that told her he was going to do or say something she didn’t like. “We’re still connected, so I can feel your curiosity and questions. Blood magic doesn’t have too many offensive uses, but you can call it in to give yourself more power. And by the shock, I’m assuming my eyes are black. This is advanced blood magic, not something we teach beginners. Mat doesn’t know how to do it either, so before you ask, no, I won’t teach you this anytime soon. But, like I said on the ship, when we’re connected, the bond lets me tap into both of us. Nevyn and Varon can’t even do this.”

  “Why are you laughing?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She wanted to learn. Obviously, this was the best blood magic she had seen yet, the piece she found the most useful. The healing bit Mat had done for her when she was recovering from the collar had been nice, but this was something she could use every fight.

  “Because you killed him so easily. Sorcerers are back-line fighters who can’t focus on using a sword and using magic. I knew you would handle him easily with some magical backup. How’s your back?”

  “It aches,” she answered. Not nearly as bad as it had, though. “Did…whatever you did help it heal?” She didn’t think so, but in that moment, her back was the last pain she was considering. She was alive, and that seemed to make everything feel a little better.

  “No, but you’re powering through it. You’ll be pissed tomorrow, that I can promise. Let’s get back to the others.”

  He stood up first, holding out a hand for her. She grabbed it, groaning in pain as he helped her stand. She stumbled the first steps, but whatever he was doing through the bond was keeping her from slipping into a healing sleep and keeping her on her feet. Now, she was genuinely ready to pass out somewhere. She didn’t care where.